Tag Archives: college students

Thank you for your continued support of the H.O.P.E. Blog. We are preparing to go on holiday break for the month of December and will resume posting on January 6th. During the break we will switch platforms for the blog and implement an additional change or two which we will share with you at the beginning of the year. We aren’t gone yet, check back with us next week to hear about our newest scholarship recipient.

Take a moment to read or re-read YOUR favorite blog posts of 2013.

College Students and Mental Illness

“I promise…I’m not crazy”. Those were the words that left my mouth as tears flowed down my face and people entered my E CR room. I had suffered an emotional breakdown. It was a culmination of traumatic events: the disappointment of not graduating on time, the pressure of juggling 21 credits, involvement in multiple campus organizations, and a part time job led to the moment that would change my life forever. Continue reading…

HU! You Know! Why HBCUs Are Still Relevant

Our society does this constantly as we slowly strip our education system of its humanity by manufacturing employees instead of cultivating talent. We treat students as identification numbers with scores and letters attached instead of actual human beings with unique circumstances, experiences, talents and interests, then wonder why our country is falling behind in education. Continue reading…

The 10 Freshmen Commandments

Everyone who wants to be successful follows or creates a guide to reach that success. Reaching success in college– doing well academically, graduating on time and setting oneself up for prime career options– is no different. Students who enjoy great college careers have fun outside the classroom while creating and following a solid guide for academic and social success. Continue reading…

This time of year many students are yelling, “I can’t wait for the summer!” for various reasons; many which can be categorized as being unproductive. My advice, don’t slack this summer; let the summer-time be a launch-pad to your future success. While other students find themselves scrambling during their last semester, be prepared to transition into the next chapter of your life post-college. Consider these summer options.

Internship

Beef up your resume and get an internship. Cardinal rule, create or update your resume and be dressed appropriately when speaking to a potential employer. Internships can be obtained by applying to announcements, networking with companies at career fairs or reaching out to your personal network.

Summer school

The summer is the ideal time to catch up with your academic scheme. It’s the time to take those difficult classes, those classes that you dropped or classes you could not register for due to limited seating. Summer classes allow students to get the 1-on-1 attention they long for and add good grades to their transcript in the process.

Part Time Job

Working during the summer time is a very practical option for many students to meet their financial responsibilities. If you are looking for a summer job, start early; you will be fighting for the same jobs as every other college student on break. If you obtain a part time job, try to gain experience that pertains to your major or experience that could really strengthen your resume. Conversely, trying something new doesn’t hurt either.

Study Abroad

Enhance your college experience by going abroad to study, while receiving college credits. Studying abroad is an invaluable experience that you will appreciate. Studying abroad during college is much cheaper than planning an inclusive overseas trip with friends and is less difficult than planning a trip post-college, given any new responsibilities you may acquire.

Let the summer-time be a launch-pad to you future success, by considering these options.

“I promise…I’m not crazy”. Those were the words that left my mouth as tears flowed down my face and people entered my ER room. I had suffered an emotional breakdown. It was a culmination of traumatic events: the disappointment of not graduating on time, the pressure of juggling 21 credits, involvement in multiple campus organizations, and a part time job led to the moment that would change my life forever.

I hid what I was going through because I felt alone. I felt like I would be judged. I felt like it would be a sign of weakness. I feared I’d be viewed as “crazy”. But the truth is, I was not alone. According to recent studies, cases of mental illness among college students have become increasingly more serious over the last decade. “Depression and anxiety are the most prevalent mental health problems students confront”, says John MacPhee, executive director of the Jed Foundation, which oversees the website ULifeline.org (a resource center for students dealing with emotional issues). “The second leading cause of death among college students is suicide, which accounts for about 1,100 deaths per year on campuses”, says MacPhee. The number one killer is accidents, which include accidental overdoses and drinking and driving deaths, many of which might be linked to depression or anxiety.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, In 2007, suicide was the third leading cause of death among 15 to 24-year-old Black Americans. Additionally, Black college students have been shown to attempt suicide more often than their White counterparts.

It’s imperative to know and recognize mental illness symptoms and seek a diagnosis if needed. The utilization of therapy and/or medication can allow for one to properly function and thrive. As a community, we can see a serious decrease in these statistics if (instead of stigmatizing mental health) we begin to support those who are suffering and take full advantage of available resources.

Are you aware of where the counseling center is located on your campus? If not, ask an administrator or check your school’s website. Many of the services are free and regularly available to students. There are also websites and online communities like PsychCentral and ULifeline that provide access to research and contact information for professionals. Lastly, more and more people are beginning to start supportive organizations. Bassey Ikpi, writer and mental health advocate, founded The Siwe Project, a global non-profit dedicated to promoting mental health awareness throughout the global black community.

Thankfully, after my hospitalization, I had a wonderful circle of friends that I was able to confide in, I was able to reach out to professors and I began seeking professional treatment. Stress and pressure may be a part of the college experience, but death, failure, and hopelessness don’t have to be. You aren’t “crazy”. You are human, you are needed, and you are not alone.

Live HOPE. Give HOPE.

Kenya D. Morris
Guest Blogger

About the Author

Kenya D. Morris is a nonprofit and communications professional that hails from Los Angeles and currently resides of Silver Spring, MD. As a self-proclaimed “life enthusiast”, she prides herself in learning, exploring, and taking advantage of new opportunities daily. When she isn’t busy writing poetry, performing in dramatic productions, doing make up, or focusing on community outreach, you can probably find her screaming at her TV over a Lakers or Cowboys game, eating dessert, or tweeting her life away. More info can be found at www.kenyad.com.

Like this:

It was always education first growing up in the Chance household, but I don’t remember the bedtime stories or even having a favorite book as a child.

I do remember my parents’ friends requiring their children to leisurely read and write an essay for an extra allowance and I thought, what a cruel punishment lol.

Nonetheless, I read if a class required me to, but reading leisurely was not my favorite past time; then again, if we are counting skimming through a sports magazine, then I was a reading machine.

After graduating from college, I started to think about picking up a book for a variety of reasons: wanting to build my vernacular, wanting to have an additional conversational topic in mix settings, and I’m not going to lie, wanting to look scholastic during my commute to/from work.

The first thing, I did was pray. There is nothing more important than saying, hey this is where I am weak and could use some help. Then, I asked my friends for book recommendations. From there, I started my quest of becoming an avid reader, it was tough and at times I relapsed. It would take me 6 – 8 months to read a book, but over time that began to change. I have to credit my job because we had book clubs and it served as a floodgate to leisurely reading.

The first book I read which had me anxiously wanting to read another page was Hill Harper’s “The Conversation”; I vividly remember laughing at myself and thinking, you’re a nerd, but I didn’t care, because now, I can genuinely say I enjoy reading. I always ask my friends for recommendations and currently I have 3-4 books in the que.

Who knew that maturity could make uncommon childhood past-times present-day hobbies?! On a random afternoon, it is not rare to find me at a bookstore or the local park grabbing a bite and reading a good book. The principles I used to become an avid reader can be applied to anyone pursuing a goal.

Like this:

Everyone who wants to be successful follows or creates a guide to reach that success. Reaching success in college– doing well academically, graduating on time and setting oneself up for prime career options– is no different. Students who enjoy great college careers have fun outside the classroom while creating and following a solid guide for academic and social success.

Here are suggestions that can help every college freshman, regardless of his or her background, set up and enjoy a fulfilling and fun college experience.

1. Thou shall begin with the end in mind. This is one time it’s good to be backwards. Write down your ultimate goals in life, post it where you will see it every day, and figure out the first steps you need to take in college to achieve those goals. One great step you can take now is to attend class regardless of how boring it is. Sitting in a boring class isn’t a death sentence. All of us college graduates have done it. *smile*

2. Thou shall seek to understand what makes thy professors tick. Professors remember the students who engage in class discussions because professors love active class participation. Not attending or showing little interest in class gives the professor a clear indication that you have no interest in competing for the best grades. Professors don’t “give” grades, by the way; you earn them. The higher your grades, the greater your earning potential in scholarships and salaries.

3. Thou shall sit down, shut up, and listen. I went to a strict high school with very successful alumni; and I always say the school’s secret has been its ability to get the students to sit down, shut up, and listen. Mastering those three things helps you develop focus and discipline, two major keys to success. Regardless of your aptitude, you will learn anything from anybody if you follow those three simple steps.

4. Thou shall visit thy career center or counselor early. Start building your college résumé as soon as you hit campus. Juice it up with a great GPA, student activities, community service, and internship and/or employment experience. The key to success in student activities, by the way, is to do quality work even if you join just one organization.

5. Thou shall be aware of your social media presence. I love social media as much as anyone else but posting every thought doesn’t bring the best results. Somewhere on your campus or in the workforce is someone who will not allow the image of his or her organization to be compromised by someone who feels compelled to drop F- and N-bombs for the world to see. And please spare us decision makers the “It’s my business” argument. If it were truly your business, you wouldn’t share it with everyone on the World Wide Web.

6. Thou shalt not follow students who crave attention. Some people are popular just to be popular and those types of people can be negative influences. Their negativity affects you in more ways than you realize. Ask yourself how their popularity will help you achieve your goals and if following them is worth it.

7. Thou shall learn the power of diversity, service, and leadership. Diversity is all about understanding how a person’s uniqueness makes him or her great. The more you embrace diversity, the more you want to serve people. The more you serve people, the better a leader you become. Leadership leads to great career opportunities.

8. Thou shall be the change you want to see on thy campus. Every student has complaints about his or her college, regardless of how much he or she loves it. Students who actually DO SOMETHING to improve campus life earn the respect of everyone from fellow students to administrators to future employers. Just think of how great it will sound in a job interview to talk about how you left your college or university better than you found it.

9. Thou shall take pride in thy institution. School pride is often a reflection of personal pride because people with pride align themselves with greatness. School pride goes beyond athletic events; it even makes a difference in personal decisions and excelling in your career through great job performance.

10. Thou shalt not hate on “boring” students. Of course it’s much more exciting to party while the nerds fall asleep on their books in the library. Successful people, however, are known for boring things such as discipline and focus. Here’s an idea. You can have it all by being boring with the books and blowing off steam at the parties before going back to make it happen in the classroom the next day.

Here’s what it all boils down to–setting yourself up for success. While some college freshmen are crafting strategies for fun and excitement, other freshmen are crafting a guide to begin with the end in mind. What will be your commandments to help you get the most out of your college experience?

Live HOPE. Give HOPE.

Eddie Francis
Guest Blogger

About the Author

Eddie Francis is the Director of Communications at Paul Quinn College in Dallas, Texas (formerly the Interim Director of Enrollment Management). A 23-year media veteran, he also publishes the “P.R. and Marketing in Higher Ed” blog at http://prmarketinginhighered.blogspot.com.

When it comes to photography, my perspective is to tell a good story. My goal is to showcase the subject in their best possible light without alterations, additions or subtractions that distort the image.

As a child, I loved stories. My mind would run wild imagining, dreaming, sometimes wishing I was a character in these fantastical stories I created. I loved all kinds of stories, especially the narratives shared by older family members. My grandparents would tell the most vibrant and vivid stories of our family history and their experiences.

I wanted to find a means of capturing some of my own personal life experiences, which in themselves had become their own stories. I began to document my travels as a teenager – from Ghana, West Africa to Alexandria, Virginia and then Gainesville, Florida to Washington, DC.

In college, I would whip out a point and shoot during memorable occasions experiences from orientations to organization events. When my father offered to get me an expensive dslr (digital single-lens reflex) camera if I took a journalism course, I jumped at the opportunity and signed up for a photojournalism class with renowned Professor John Freeman.

Feeling like a newly minted storyteller, I embarked on the journey of photographing people and events with even more enthusiasm. I have been blessed to capture pictures of friends during milestones such as graduations, weddings and other celebratory events. Graduations have especially been dear to my heart. After my first photo class, I offered my services for free to close friends who were graduating from college and as they shared the pictures with their friends and family, I got more requests for my services.

I have been blessed to turn my passion into a growing and thriving business.

Photographers get to illuminate a person’s story with a snapshot or series of snapshots. Go back and look through old family pictures with older family members and you will easily realize that the photograph is a catalyst to a great story and family history. That is what I strive to do with each picture or event.

Photography is my passion and luckily is a necessary craft. Everyone should have a set of professional photos on hand to share with potential clients, on professional social networks such as LinkedIn and Facebook, but also to help them easily tell a positive story of themselves.

Through photography I strive to be a better storyteller and to encourage young storytellers to do likewise. I believe, like story telling, photography is a journey and storytellers get better each day. We all have a story. For new graduates you’re beginning a new chapter of your story. I implore you to start this chapter doing something you love. Wherever you are in your journey I look forward to telling your story through photography someday soon.

I attempted to listen as my friend Antonio, a neighbor in the community where I lived and worked, explained my symptoms to the doctor in Spanish. He needed to get this right. I hardly had the energy to look at the doctor and explain my condition to him. With doctors and nurses hovering over me, the saline began to relieve my dehydration. Fatigue and medication combined to put me to sleep.

Hours later the doctor revealed I had Dengue, a life-threatening disease I contracted from a mosquito. This was my second stay at a Salvadoran hospital in less than a year since the beginning of my service.

Upon my return to my home community from the hospital, Antonio’s six–year-old daughter, Maiza, asked me if I was too sick to stay in El Salvador and would return to the United States. I was sick and uncomfortable. I decided to be honest with Maiza, I told her I had considered leaving, but explained that life sometimes calls one to sacrifice his or her own wellbeing for the wellbeing of others. I further explained that my visit to the hospital only strengthened my resolve to stay and continue to contribute and give back to a community that gave me such a strong sense of purpose.

This community cared about me. Maiza cared about me. Every day I didn’t see Maiza in the neighborhood she would come and find me and ask the usual question: “Estas bien?” (“Are you OK?”) I would tell her yes and she would interrogate me on why I had not come outside that day to visit her.

Serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer was at times very difficult. As a volunteer I developed budgets, drafted proposals, planned and executed a census, created blueprints for a dam, taught high school students English and sex education, and worked to increase self-esteem through leadership workshops for women. It was the unexpected and often times tragic occurrences, though, that made my Peace Corps experience most relevant.

I lived, worked, and befriended many individuals facing great challenges, such as six-year-old children not able to attend school because they had to work in the fields from five in the morning until eight in the evening; women being abused by their husbands and scared to report it to the police or seek help due to believing the abuse was their fault; and young girls being raped and then impregnated by their own fathers or uncles.

There were great times where the love my Salvadoran community had for me proved true and unwavering. Maiza and all of the members of my community in El Salvador helped me to learn Spanish, cooked for me when I couldn’t figure out how to work the wood oven, prayed over me when I was sick, and even taught me how to wash clothes with my hands (which proved to be more difficult than one would think). Most importantly, my Salvadoran community taught me to appreciate cultures different from mine.

Now living back in the United States, I yearn for what I felt in El Salvador. I miss the sense of community and how the people there gave so much to me, even though they possessed so little. To this day I have Maiza’s ribbon. It hangs on the frame that holds my Peace Corps certificate. Frequently I look at that certificate and then at that ribbon and remember a little girl who loved me regardless of my nationality, skin color or, at the time, broken Spanish. She loved me because I loved her. That ribbon and my experience in El Salvador will always remain in my heart along with my love for Maiza and the people of El Salvador.

Give HOPE. Live HOPE.

China Dickerson
Guest Blogger

About the Author

Originally from Charleston, SC, China Dickerson aspires to be an advocate for the marginalized and underserved. As an undergraduate at Howard University, Ms. Dickerson worked at the U.S. Department of Justice where she assisted attorneys in advocating for the human right to a clean living environment. Upon graduating from Howard, Ms. Dickerson served in the U.S. Peace Corps in El Salvador where for two years she assisted community members by organizing and facilitating leadership and women’s rights workshops, teaching English as a second language at the local high school and fundraising to institute women’s sewing and cosmetology classes. Currently, Ms. Dickerson is a law student at Howard University School of Law and law clerk at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.This post is a part of our “Life After Graduation” series, check back all week for new posts on the variety of paths available for life after graduation.

To me graduation is clearance. Clearance to be free and explore the world without class being the first priority. A walk across the stage and into “the real world” that we have so often previously been warned of. Is Howard University not the real world?

From the networking and hustling, to the headaches and the proverbial red tape and learning to look for new routes to the final goal. Now that’s real, or at least I thought so. Well, soon I will know. I’m Nikkia Echols and as a May 2012 graduate my eyes now lie on what’s ahead. I was the first person the H.O.P.E. Scholarship Initiative gave hope to, in the form of a scholarship, and now with their help I have reached the finish line.

I majored in Radio/TV/Film with a concentration in Audio Production. Radio has been my passion for as long as I can remember. Working in radio would make me one of the rare breed that can genuinely say they get paid to do what they love.

During college I worked tirelessly to enter the workforce as a radio personality. From hosting a show on WHBC, Howard University’s student radio station, to interning and doing sit-ins at numerous radio stations. It was all in hopes that someone would see the potential in me that I see in myself — and more.

I know that it’s highly unlikely to grab the super-glamorous on-air job right away but it is possible to get my foot in the door. The rest is nothing that can’t be obtained with hard work, which is something I am no stranger to and have never been afraid of.

What now? The plan is to work in radio before going to grad school and then furthering my radio career.

I’ll be honest grad school was not always in the plans. If you would’ve asked me about going to graduate school 3 years ago my answer would’ve been a firm “NO!” that was more than likely preceded by that fiery place The Good Book warns of. It was college where I realized that I want to one day be a Program Director at a radio or media outlet.

Graduate school in addition to a few years of working experience would be the best path to get me to my goal. In this increasingly competitive job market graduate school can give me a career advantage.

Howard provided so much more than a classroom education, it’s what I’ve learned at career panels, from my peers, in extra-curricular activities and in life that make me ready for life after graduation. Now’s the time for the most critical part: the application. Without being able to apply them to “real life” these lessons are worth nothing. I’m ready! I’m nervous, anxious and excited (yes, all of them simultaneously) for what the future may bring. It all begins with the turn of the tassel.

Give HOPE. Live HOPE.

Nikkia Echols
Guest Blogger

About the Author

Nikkia Echols, new graduate of Howard University is a native of Baltimore, MD and is currently pursuing a career in radio. Echols was the first recipient of the H.O.P.E. Scholarship award read more of her story in our post The Tassel is Worth the Hassle.

This post is a part of our “Life After Graduation” series, check back all week for new posts on the variety of paths available for life after graduation.

Sometimes I wish I had more hands. More feet. More energy and knowledge.

A recent trip to New Orleans demonstrated the real needs of people in underserved communities, particularly those of African descent. The sight of dilapidated homes, empty lots, shuttered businesses, the paucity of job opportunities, and the burden of these displaced people quickly began to get the better of me.

The trip taught me that status and clout coupled with education and compassion can make a huge impact.

In New Orleans I met Jo’Shawn, he was 19 years old and a survivor of Hurricane Katrina. He and his cousin were trapped inside their house, being forced to use a pistol to fire through the roof to escape the rising waters. One night I asked him, “After all that has happened, how do you remain so happy?” It was almost as if his joy annoyed me because I was so frustrated at the system that failed New Orleans so badly by a clear misappropriation of funds and I wanted him to be also.

He said: “I just put it all in the Lord’s hands.” That statement, that thought process, makes me feel both hope and shame. He made trusting in the Lord seem so simple, in the way that I did not, though deep down I desire to. I find hope in meeting someone who is ok with not being in control. It’s a beautiful thing.

Never did I believe that the people in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans would encourage me so much. I know that extreme loss can bring a greater sense of gratitude for life and possessions but I hadn’t anticipated being changed in this way.

What I learned from my visit to New Orleans is that we must understand the needs of disadvantaged communities so that we can address them properly. I learned that those with status and fame have a platform to highlight issues and organize solutions and that same power, on a smaller scale, is in all of us.

I encourage those pursuing change, especially those who are considered to be the “minority”, to educate themselves in order for them to get to the position to invoke change. Hope is not a destination, it’s a paradigm.

I pray and hope that we do not have to lose everything around us to appreciate what’s within us.

Give HOPE. Live HOPE.

Kwame McIntosh
Guest Blogger

About the Author

Originally from Jamaica, N.Y, Kwamé McIntosh is a 22-year-old master’s candidate at Howard University currently studying social work , administration, and policy focusing on displaced populations. He was recently been published in a multi-authored poetry book titled, “The Journey” due to be released May 2012. Kwamé is a young humanitarian whose sole desire is to dramatically change systems entrapping the lives of underserved populations globally.

Without new experiences, something inside of us sleeps. The sleeper must awaken.” –Frank Herbert

I love to travel! I sometimes spend my lunch hour dreaming up beach vacations to Madagascar, Fiji, Bora Bora and the Seychelles; or imagine myself exploring the lush forests of Mozambique, and Botswana. I see myself dancing and eating my way through Peru, Brazil and Colombia. I have discovered who I am through both my domestic and international travels. The ability to travel has changed my outlook on the world and how interrelated we are. It has given me a greater appreciation for other people and cultures.

I’ll never forget the first time I left the country. I was 18 years old and traveling to Saltillo, Mexico on a hot bus to go on a service trip with my church. I guess it was then that I got the travel bug. I knew then that travel needed to be more than a part of my life but an integral part of my career. When I graduated from college, I looked for jobs that would afford me the opportunity to travel. Working for Oxfam America, an international relief and development organization, I have visited two-thirds of the United States.

Through personal and work related travels, I have been to Thailand, Australia, Haiti, Costa Rica and Canada, on mostly a self-guided expedition through multiple cities, towns and villages. While each of these countries are unique with their own traditions, customs, culture and language there are some universal truths: everyone has the same basic needs and desires; people want health, security and a means to provide for themselves and their families and no single country or culture has a monopoly on beauty or pain.

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” –Jawaharial Nehru

Traveling is a life changing event that everyone should experience. It’s exposure. It’s the breaking down of narrow-mindedness. It’s the reminder that you are more than a citizen of your state or country but a part of the greater world. Traveling brings curiosity. I love the way my ears perk up listening to a foreign language in search for meaning; trying new foods and appreciating the warmth of the sun. I am always humbled and in awe of how incredibly generous and hospitable people are towards me. Strangers suddenly become like close friends or family and prove that we are connected in our common humanity.

Travel also provides a window for others to view your culture and where you come from. I remember when I went to Australia, I met many young black people from all across the globe and we connected through soul and hip hop music. I was blown away when a young woman, Rose from Vanuatu, recited Biggie Smalls’ It was all a Dream verbatim. She was from a small village of 1,000 people and yet knew that song! This is just one example of the many priceless moments that happen when you encounter people from across the globe.

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” St Augustine

If you haven’t been abroad I suggest you go! Students look into the study abroad opportunities at your institution. People of all ages, like my first trip can attend organized trips with their church or local community organizations. Look for employers who offer travel. And if that’s not convenient set up a travel fund account, put $20 a week away and before you know it your travel fund will fuel your first adventure. I encourage you to experience the world. You just may end up finding yourself.